Anteater Yellow Lab!

[WapitiTalk1]

OK, Gus is not a bird dog in the classic sense but is a very energetic, ball retrieving, pond swimming, playful, loving 4 year old yellow lab.  He's trained pretty well to sit, stay, down, come, leash walk, etc.   

Here's the deal, Gus is a HUGE licker; possibly part anteater!  I mean he leads with his tongue in all greetings, licks hands, faces, clothes, etc., etc., lick...lick...lick...lick (not talking a soft lab snout nuzzle here, but a barrage of licks)!  Any smart dog trainers have any idea how to curb this less than popular behavior with my yellow dog?

 

 

[cem3434]

It's a lab thing.

[TheSkyBuster]

Tabasco sauce 

[87Ford]

Have a chocolate Lab that was quite a licker when he was young.  He just couldn't walk by without giving you a swipe or two of his tongue.  Seems to have grown out of it a bit now, but still likes to lick.

[Bill W]

our first was a licker.  The second one wasn't.   Given a choice I'd take that first one in a heartbeat.  You won't miss a dog like that until after you don't have them.

[WapitiTalk1]

Exhibit B. He drives my wife crazy.

[lewy]

Lol, my yellow lab does the same damn thing

[Buckewe]

I've got a couple lickers at home  tried hot sauce and he liked it haha.

[87Ford]

I'll say this..  Gus sure looks like a happy Lab

[WapitiTalk1]

Ya, he's pretty happy with his life but he has a hard time relaxing :/

[follow maggie]

I tried tobasco with my last lab. Turns out she liked it. Made the problem worse because she thought everything would taste like tobasco!

[Bookworm007]

Usually somebody is giving the dog attention after he licks them. As long as he see's licking people as a way to get attention he will keep doing it. I also give my chocolate lab a light swat to the nose to discourage it. She still licks a little, mostly because a couple people in the house still give her attention after licking, but it is much better than it was. Neither tobasco or sour green apple spray worked for my dog, she actually liked it.

[lamrith]

Usually somebody is giving the dog attention after he licks them. As long as he see's licking people as a way to get attention he will keep doing it. I also give my chocolate lab a light swat to the nose to discourage it. She still licks a little, mostly because a couple people in the house still give her attention after licking, but it is much better than it was. Neither tobasco or sour green apple spray worked for my dog, she actually liked it.

We did the same with our lab, she was very young though so it was not a deeply ingrained habit.  She also did not hold a candle to GUs's propensity for taste testing....   Also accompanied with a strong "NO!, NO LICKING!" with the swat on the nose.  But as mentioned you (everyone in family) HAVE to be consistent in application or it just confuses the dog, same (negative) response, every single time they lick without permission.

Which leads to the second part for those in the family that may for some reason wish to allow said activity, we developed a different word/command to tell the dog it was ok.  "kisses" was the ok word we developed and it was to be used as a command and attention rewarded upon proper response to it.

I actually started using them both during an interaction to correct and train her on both and give her structure.  She wold lick and get the negative response, but I would stay with her watching, even down at her level sitting on ground next to her and if she leaned in to do it again, she got verbally stopped before she could lick.  Stay that way for a minute or two (decades in dog time) keep stopping them until they get the idea.  When they have stopped for a minute or two and settled down, then give the kisses command and brace for the bath and shower dog with praise.  Then up and firm on no more licking.  This gives them a structure that they cannot lick anytime they want, but also that there is an outlet if they behave and family has a way to allow said action as needed.

[WapitiTalk1]

I think Gus may need to come stay at your place for some conditioning/training Larry .  Kim is about ready to cut his tongue out  .   

[Dhoey07]

My yellow is the same way.  He licks your if you don't pet him, then licks you when you're done petting him.  He licks to say hey, he licks to say thanks.  He heels at my side and then licks my hand.  He even licks himself 

I think  you're just stuck with it brother.